Afyonkarahisar

Afyonkarahisar is a city in western Turkey, the capital of Afyon Province. Afyon is in the mountainous countryside inland from the Aegean coast, 250 km (155 mi) south-west of Ankara along the Akarçay River. In Turkey, Afyonkarahisar stands out as a capital city of hot springs and spas an important junction of railway, highway and air traffic in West-Turkey and the place where independence was won.In addition, Afyonkarahisar is one of the top leading provinces in agriculture globally renowned for its marble and is the world’s largest producer of pharmaceutical opium.

In ancient times the town was known as Acroenus. It fell to the Seljuq Turks in the 13th century and was renamed Karahisar (“Black Fortress”) for the ancient fortress situated atop a cone of volcanic rock some 660 feet (200 metres) above the town. The word afyon (“opium”) was subsequently prefixed to the town’s name as a reflection of the region’s chief product. The town came under Ottoman rule briefly in 1392–1402 and then conclusively in 1428–29. It was heavily damaged in the Turkish War of Independence (1919–22), when it was occupied twice by Greek forces. Historical monuments in Afyonkarahisar include the partly ruined fortress (the landmark of the town), the 13th-century Ulu Cami (Great Mosque), and the Altıgoz Bridge built by the Seljuqs. The local archaeological museum is housed in an old theological school.